


Carefree

by pickyourselfupfred



Series: Fred and Ginger forever [21]
Category: Astaire/Rogers RPF, Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers Movies
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-05
Updated: 2015-04-05
Packaged: 2018-03-21 10:13:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3688371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pickyourselfupfred/pseuds/pickyourselfupfred
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They seem to be so happy together in this movie. Ginger has the time of her life doing the whole screwball routine and Fred is so relaxed in his role. The fun they had leaps off the screen so these stories will reflect that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Carefree

**Author's Note:**

  * For [OldMoviesAreIt](https://archiveofourown.org/users/OldMoviesAreIt/gifts), [Samantha](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Samantha/gifts).



Fred wondered that if, in a minute or two, Ginger would be literally bouncing off the wall. She’d come into the den, where he’d been looking at the racing papers, like a tornado. She was carrying a package and, having thrown it on the couch, dragged him to his feet, kissing and hugging him like a crazy woman. He disentangled himself and putting both hands on her shoulders to keep her at arm’s length said, ‘What was in your cereal?’  
She struggled out of his hold and squeezed him tightly.  
‘It’s come Fred’.  
‘I’m not a mind reader Ginge’.  
‘The script for our new movie’.  
‘So?’  
‘The title of this film is just how I feel right now you idiot’, she said in frustration.  
‘Carefree?’  
‘Absolutely. I’ve never looked forward to a film quite so much’.  
Fred chuckled, ‘It has been quite a good time recently hasn’t it baby?’  
And indeed it had. Phyllis had taken Fred Jr and her elder son off to visit relatives and then they were staying at Fred’s ranch so he had no commitments at home. This resulted in the longest period they both had living together and it had been simply wonderful.

First day back in rehearsal was very auspicious as far as Ginger was concerned. The day started as normal. Pan and Hal Bourne, their rehearsal pianist, joined them to play through the new songs and kick around ideas for dances. They had a productive morning and all four enjoyed a leisurely lunch. Pan came back with them for a short while but after a chat with Fred made an excuse to leave so they were left alone. Fred started by locking the door and walked over to where Ginger was sitting.  
‘Hey Fred, locking the door. Who d’ya want to keep out?’  
‘I want to keep you in’, he replied and sat down beside her. Reaching into his pocket he produced a small box.  
‘Welcome home baby. Missed you heaps’.  
She opened the box. Inside was an exquisite ruby brooch, her birthstone and favourite gem. Small rubies surrounded the large centre stone and the rose gold setting emphasised the rich color. Her look told him she adored the brooch and her kiss told him she adored him.  
‘Freddie, you’re far too kind’.  
‘Isn’t it great though being back together?’  
‘Of course it is’.  
He leaned forward and began to unbutton her blouse.  
‘Is this the way you welcome people’, she giggled before Fred stopped her with a kiss. As she wriggled out of her top she smirked saying, ‘Now I know why you locked the door’.  
‘Well I didn’t want us caught in the act’.  
‘It’s no act – it’s all very genuine’.  
They wasted no time and were soon lying, skin to skin, in each other’s arms on the couch, quite exhausted but very happy. Ginger smiled at him as she put her fingers to his lips, ‘That was pretty good’.  
‘It’s been quite a while since we did this’.  
‘Did I imagine last night then?’, she laughed.  
He squeezed her affectionately.  
‘Making out here, you clot’.  
‘I’d certainly forgotten how hard this couch was’.  
‘I’ll get it changed ‘cos I think we might just do this again’.  
‘Well if this is day one roll on the next few weeks’.

They settled into rehearsals with work on ‘The Yam’. This was to be what Fred called a travelling dance in that it called for a dance that would snake its way around the country club setting. However, until the set was fully constructed they would stick to establishing the ‘Yam’ step that would be the gimmick of the routine and build around that. He mentioned to Ginger that, whilst the tune appealed, the lyrics certainly didn’t and Fred, as a budding songwriter, was very hot on lyrics. Therefore he was asking her to sing this one.  
‘Another of your hand-me-downs Freddie?’ she laughed.  
‘Aw honey, it’s just it doesn’t work for me’.  
‘I know your games old man’, she taunted although actually she was more than happy to have a solo now and then, ‘You’ll pay for it’.

They and Pan had soon got the basic steps established and were playing with some fun ideas for choreography.  
‘What we need’, said Pan, ‘is a showstopper for the end. Something both of you haven’t attempted before’.  
‘Yeah but what?’, asked Fred, ‘look I’m going to grab a shower and I’ll try to come up with something’.  
Ginger was happy to let him go. She knew he got a bit despondent at times about new steps because he never wanted to repeat past choreography. Knowing him as well as she did she realised he just needed some down time all to himself to ease off the pressure he always put on himself. She would stay with Pan until he returned.

When he came back showered and changed 45 minutes later she knew by his body language he was more relaxed. He was very surprised to see that in his absence about half a dozen tables from the commissary had been arranged in a rough semi circle in the rehearsal room.  
‘What’s with the tables?’ he asked.  
Ginger went over and took his hand.  
‘Hey Fred, Pan and I came up with an idea that might work. D’ya want to see?’  
He nodded yes.  
She and Pan showed him a series of lifts where Pan braced his leg against the tables in turn and lifted her over his outstretched leg. They completed this sequence and turned expectantly towards Fred who spoke, as Ginger often said about him, in capital letters.  
‘WE CAN TRY IT BUT I’M NOT SURE’  
As she could interpret his quirky little ways she took this to mean ‘ I’m not confident I can do this but I’ll have a go because it’s you’. She took him to one side and whispered, ‘It’s ok Fred, we don’t have to try this, it was just a crazy idea’.  
Her kindness and understanding was all the impetus he needed. He took her in his arms and copied Pan’s moves, first lift, second lift, then on till they had completed the semi circle. He grinned at her, confident now.  
‘Seems you and Pan have cracked it’, and then, more quietly, ‘I didn’t think I’d have the strength even though you’re as light as a feather’.  
Her heart went out to him. She knew despite his wiriness he didn’t have a lot of upper body strength. He really must have been worried. She sought to reassure him.  
‘I always feel safe in your arms’, she said in his ear.  
They practised a few times more till both were tiring and when Fred suggested a break Pan left and Ginger trotted to the candy jar she kept in the corner of the rehearsal room. He ran after her and pinioned her arms to her side saying, ‘Don’t eat that candy and lay off the chocolate sundaes or you’ll be too heavy to lift’.  
She wriggled round to thump him, saw his broad grin, kissed him hard then thumped him anyway.  
‘You 97 pound weakling’, she laughed.  
He kissed her back and smiling delightedly said, ‘My baby’

Having spent the week refining the routine Fred started agitating again about his solo dance. Once more Ginger came up with an idea to spark him.  
‘Look Fred, the tune is called ‘Since they turned Loch Lomond into swing’ and the scene is at the country club. Why don’t you mix tap with golf shots?’  
It was if a light bulb had been turned on. She could visibly see him start to think about possibilities so when he grabbed her and bestowed a kiss on her she wasn’t surprised.

He spent the next couple of weeks polishing the dance on the backlot at the studio whilst Ginger was involved in shooting some of her solo scenes. However, when the routine was to be filmed on location at Busch Gardens she came along to see how the idea had worked out and help out with reaction shots. She was truly astonished by what Fred had done. Not only was he playing harmonica and tapping but also taking perfect swings at a series of golf balls. At the first opportunity she was hugging him and telling him how marvellous he was and he generously told her how she inspired him. They shot over the course of a week and Ginger was there for him every day. And, because they were out of the studio, they enjoyed long, private walks during lunch breaks during which they could be as close as they wished.

On the last day of the golfing shoot Ginger suggested she bring a picnic lunch for them both, as they were due to wrap at lunchtime. Fred readily agreed, they’d found a sheltered spot early in the week where they could kiss and cuddle to their hearts’ content. He loved these special times with her, all those memories to hold onto when things were rough and the joy of her being the only person in the world who knew him inside out and accepted him as he was.

She had prepared a lovely lunch. As she unpacked, not for the first time, the thought running through his head was ‘she looks like an angel, dances like an angel and cooks like an angel too’. He spread a blanket and they sat, side by side, warm in the sun and lazily ate from the meal she had made.  
‘Boy’, he said, ‘this is the life’.  
‘I’ve never been happier Fred and it’s all down to you’.  
‘You’re the love of my life, baby, and I’ve got a couple of surprises planned for you in this movie’.  
'Let’s make the most of it, darling’.

Having finished the meal Fred moved to hold and kiss her. She laughed, ‘ Dare we Fred?’  
‘I want to if you do’.  
‘We’ll have to be quick….. just in case’.  
‘We can be slow tonight but Gin I want you so badly now’.  
‘Me too’, and she pulled him even closer.

It was a swift, fulfilling act of intimacy laced with the thrill of the situation they were in. They both grinned broadly when they lay back, hand in hand.  
‘I have the feeling this movie will be special Fred’.  
‘I think you’re right sweetie’.  
‘Carefree?’, she asked.  
‘Carefree’, he replied.


End file.
